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epv
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 16 Aug 2010, 06:43
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Hi all,

I am a CFA lvl III candidate and was wondering if I should wait the additional year to take the 3rd exam and then complete my MBA (assuming I pass the 3rd exam!).

1) Does being a CFA charterholder help with admissions into top tier programs or is the effect minimal (i.e. no real difference applying as a CFA lvl III candidate or a CFA charterholder)

2) Considering the current job market, has it been easier to obtain jobs as a CFA charterholder and an MBA post graduation? Have recruiters responded positively to candidates that are charterholders and MBA grads?

2a) On that note, can anyone comment on the current job market? Another reason I was thinking of waiting the additional year is to give the markets another year to normalize. We're in for a slow growth recovery and giving the market another year to stabilize may open up more job opportunities.

Thanks for the help.
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 16 Aug 2010, 09:59
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there is a post that was discussing this issue(how the admission look at the CFA), look it up and am sure it'll be helpful
on another note as far as I know the admission office doesn't have a clue of how much hard work and effort goes into becoming a CFA holder.
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 16 Aug 2010, 10:15
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See this thread: how-much-weight-does-the-cfa-charter-carry-68059.html
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 16 Aug 2010, 11:12
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JUST PASSED LIII!!!!

Got the results today -- sorry but I feel like screaming it from the rooftops!
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 16 Aug 2010, 12:24
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Avernusaur
See this thread: how-much-weight-does-the-cfa-charter-carry-68059.html
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Congrats on L3. Very nice accomplishment.


As someone who's passed L3 (charter pending on work exp. requirement), it's sometimes frustrating to hear people knock the program and thus, the temptation to weigh in here is too strong. While I understand that it's not necessarily a huge bump in the admin process, I definitely shows intellectual capacity and work ethic.

The only people that talk about the CFA as somesort of replacement of an MBA are those that don't have the charter. Sure the CFA charter ensures a high level of competence in finance, but at the core of the charter is a commitment to 1) ethical behavior and 2) lifelong learning through continuing education.

I went to Booth Live this year and was chatting with a 2nd year, who was about to sit for LII. He commented that while LII was hard, his finance courses at Booth went well "above and beyond" the curriculum. That is to be expected, and thus why someone wanting to concentrate in finance would go to business school. It's the difference between self-directed study of a certain curriculum for that year to learning from the guys who are shaping the form the curriculum with their work. It's a different ball game.


Yea, given the opportunity I'd like to tell Adcom, "I blew through the CFA 3/3 in 18 months while working 60 hrs a week" but pretty sure it would fall on deaf ears. Instead, my strategy will be - "the CFA program really opened my eyes to what I want to do - your school will help me get there. By the way, I'll be a fantastic resource to the students that have little to no finance experience."
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 16 Aug 2010, 21:49
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Congrats to both of you on having passed L3 :) That's a big accomplishment!
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 16 Aug 2010, 22:34
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Yeh congrats, thats huge to have passed!
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 17 Aug 2010, 05:46
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Sorry, I got a little carried away with the linked post.

To the original poster, go ahead and finish L3 if you can. I can't imagine that you wont get a bump in the recruiting process if you have the charter. Shops like PIMCO require it...

Given that you've got 1 & 2 under your belt, I'm guessing that you're going to be in investment management for the long haul. It's better to get all these tests out of the way as soon as possible, in my opinion. The longer you wait, the harder it will be because you'll have more commitments ( work, family, etc.).
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CFA - finish it before doing MBA? 24 Nov 2018, 06:18
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Hello from the GMAT Club MBAbot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.